Link: Learn more about the American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is one of Amex’s most compelling cards for earning Membership Rewards points. We’re continuing to see a great welcome offer on this card (with a twist), making it a great time to apply, if eligible. In this post, I’d like to go over all the details of the current deal.
Best Amex Gold Card welcome offer details
The Amex Gold Card currently has a lucrative welcome offer, marketed as being as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards bonus points after spending $8,000 within the first six months. Amex notes how the welcome offers vary, and applicants may not be eligible for that welcome offer.
The way this works, you can apply for the card, and then find out your offer amount. Then you can decide whether you want to accept the offer or not. That’s an unconventional approach for a welcome offer. At least Amex has the “apply with confidence” feature, so there won’t be a hard pull unless you accept the offer.
Personally, I value Membership Rewards points at 1.7 cents each, meaning that to me, 100,000 points are worth $1,700. Of course that assumes you’re eligible for this offer, which not everyone will be. There are lots of great uses for Amex points, as they can be transferred to all kinds of useful airline and hotel partners.
As a point of comparison, previously the card’s standard welcome offer was for up to 60,000 points, so this is potentially a lot better.
Who is eligible for the Amex Gold Card offer?
In line with Amex’s “once in a lifetime” rule, the welcome offer on the Amex Gold Card isn’t available to those who currently have the card, or those who have had the card (or previous versions of the card) in the past. On top of that, you may not be eligible for the welcome offer on this card if you have or have had American Express Platinum Card® (review).
This is a reason to pick up the Amex Gold Card before you pick up the Amex Platinum Card. That’s because you’re potentially eligible for the Amex Platinum Card welcome offer if you have or have had the Amex Gold Card, while the inverse may not be true.
On top of that, Amex’s general card restrictions apply. There are a couple of additional things to note:
Read more about Amex Gold Card application tips.
Why the Amex Gold Card could be worth it
The Amex Gold Card has a $325 annual fee (Rates & Fees). This is one of the most popular Amex cards for earning Membership Rewards points, given its excellent rewards structure and credits.
For one, it’s an amazing card in terms of the return on spending. The card offers bonus categories, such as 4x points at restaurants (on the first $50,000 spent each calendar year, then 1x points), 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on the first $25,000 spent each calendar year, then 1x points), and 3x points on airfare booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. This card is hard to beat for anyone who loves to eat (and who doesn’t?).
On top of that, the card offers up to $424 in credits annually, which can help offset the annual fee (or more than offset the annual fee, in some cases). These credits are with Uber, Resy, Dunkin’, and more.
Essentially, if you spend a lot on food (whether at restaurants or supermarkets) and if you can get some value out of the credits, I tend to think this is a card that’s quite easy to justify.
Read a full review of the Amex Gold Card here.
Amex Gold Card frequently asked questions
The highest welcome offer on the Amex Gold Card is currently for up to 100,000 bonus Membership Rewards points upon completing minimum spending, though different people are eligible for different offers.
The Amex Gold Card generally follows a “once in a lifetime” rule for the welcome offer, so you’re typically only going to be eligible if you haven’t earned a welcome offer on the card in the past. Furthermore, you might not be eligible if you have or have had the Amex Platinum Card, which is why you’ll want to get the Amex Gold Card first.
If you get a lower offer than the maximum for the Amex Gold Card, you can either choose not to follow through with the application (with no impact on your credit score), and maybe try again in the future, in hopes of getting something better. Alternatively, you can apply anyway. Not all people will be eligible for the best offer, and there’s still lots of merit to getting the card with a lower offer.
The Amex Gold Card welcome offer is only available to those who directly apply for the card under an eligible offer. If you product change from another Amex card, you’re generally not eligible for the bonus.
If you’re an authorized user on someone else’s Amex Gold Card, you’re still eligible for the welcome offer on the card if you apply under your own account.
Bottom line
The Amex Gold Card has an excellent welcome offer that’s as high as 100,000 points upon completing minimum spending. The way this works, you have to full out the application, and then you’ll see exactly what offer you’re eligible for. Then before there’s a hard pull, you can decide if you want to submit the application or not.
If you are eligible for such a big welcome offer, this card is absolutely worth picking up. Beyond the huge welcome offer, this is one of the most rewarding cards for earning Membership Rewards points, and the card also offers credits and benefits that can help offset the annual fee. Amex doesn’t have that many super lucrative cards in terms of the number of points you can earn, and this is among my favorites.
Do you plan on picking up the Amex Gold Card with this welcome offer?
The following links will direct you to the rates and fees for mentioned American Express Cards. These include: American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees).